Method of making shoes.



K. ENGEL.

MEHOD OF MAKING SHOES. APPLICATION FILED APII.24, 190s.

Patented June 8, 1915 2 SHETS-SHEET I.

Fig 2 Kl ENGEL.

METHOD 0F MAKING SHOES. APPNICATION FILED APR.24, 190s 1,142,556, v Patenfi June 8, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

inn

KARL ENGEL, OF REVERE, MASSACHUSETTS, SSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

METHOD F MAKING SHOES.

Specicaton of Letters atent.

.applic-aaien led April 24, 1908. Serial No. 429,013. 4

To a?? w/mm it may concern Be it known that I, KARL ENGEL, a subject ot the Emperor of Germany, residing at Ilevere, in the county of Suffolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Methods of Male ing Shoes, l of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, isa spccilication, like .reference characters on the drawings indicating like Y parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to the manufacture of slices and particularly to theiitting lthe shoe stock to the last.

Most lasts cui've inuardly on the sides at and near the edges at the front end of the heel and it is important in lorder to produce a Well iitted shoe that the upper conform to this inward curvature.

In making the uppers of shoes that have outturned sole attaching flanges at the edge of the last, such for example, as the Wellknown Goodyear welt shoes or welt shoes 7 and stitchdown shoes, certain conditions are. niet which invite special attention to the fitting of the upper at tlie front end of the heel portion of the shoe because it is not convenient to fasten the upper in its snugly -tted position at these points at the time it is secured to the innersole at other parts of the shoe. In making the welt type of shoes the upper and the sole attaching flange are fastened to the innersole by a line of stitches called the inseam extending from the front end of the heel on one side of the shoe around the forepart to a similar point on the other side. In stitehdown shoes the innersole frequently terminates, as in the illustrated example, at the front end of. the heel and the upper at the heel seat is not secured until the outersole is applied. In making` welt shoes the upper is fastened to the innersole at the rear part and sides of the heel by tacks before the inseam is served, but the requirements of the inseaming'ma# chine render it impracticable to fasten the upper at the front end of the heel until after the inseam has been sewed.' The ends of the heel stilte-ner very frequently spring away from the sides of the last more or less, thus pulling the upper away andv increasing the `diiiiculty of obtaining a snug fitting of the Y upper at the front end ofthe heel.

in tightened position, a materialvimprove nient in the fit and in the appearance of the shoe can be obtained. In its broadest asraeentea aan@ e, i915.

peets the invention contemplates tightening and securingthe upper at one side of the shoe at a time, but I prefer to perform this operation at the two sides of the shoe simultaneously. While the shoe stock may be engaged and manipulated in any suitable way to secure the firm fitting of the stock and to hold it in desired position While it is secured, I have found it advantageous to engage the upper and flange in the crease between their adjacent faces. By so doing the engaging device may bysuitable movements be made to press or clamp the upper and stitiener against the side and edge of the last and to force the stock inwardly over the edge and hold it in position to-be secured. The securingof the parts in tightened position may be effected in any desired Way. I prefer in the manufacture of stitchdown shoes to practise this invention in connection with the operation or layingthe outersole and to coact with lcement one or both of the adjacent faces of the x outer-sole and the flange. Then when the upper has been tightened to the last and While it is so held the outer-sole is applied and caused by the cement to adhere to the flange and bind the parts in position. Subsequently the outersole is stitched tothe tiange to fasten it permanently, the stitching beingpreferably located in 'or near the angle formed by the liange and upper whereby the upper is sesurely held in place in the finished shoe.

In making Welt shoes this invention may be practised in connection with the; sole laying operation, as described with relation to the manufacture of stitchdown shoes or it may constitute an earlier operation' and the upper maybe fastened to the innersolefby tacks or other fastenings while it is held tightened over the edge of the last.

A further object ot' this invention is to outersole in. shoes tlfat ave the outersole fastened to an outturned ange or welt connected to the'upper. It is t e practice in theI sole laying op 'ration to p sition the outersole upon the hoe bottom and, by means of a rubber or o4 er pad or form, to press the outersole firmly against the shoe bottom and hold it under pressure to cause it to become `molded approximately to the .shape of the shoe bottom and to allow time for the cement,

' with which onevor beth of the adjacent faces "fflange, The last, however, furnishes no support for the flange which therefore yields to the pressure of the pad, permitting the sole edge to bend upwardly all the way aroundl the shoe. The flange has an initial tenden'cj7 to curl up at the convex end portions of the shoe and usually in welt shoes it is specially treated at the toe by beating it or slashing it to cause it to stand outrightin proper position to be sewed to the outersole. The pressure of the marginal portion of the sole against the unsupported ange, of course, tends -to curl the flange up again.

It is a very important characteristic of thefpreferred practice of this invention that the shoe stock is so engaged that the sole attaching fiange is supported during the sole laying operation against the pressure ofthe sole and the pad of the machine. The flange at the rear end of the shoe can advantageously be supported by the engaging device that tightens the upper over the last at the front end of the heel and which for this purpose is arranged to embrace the heel portion of the shoe and approximately ft the flange crease. The flange at the toe or forepart of the shoe can be supported by a similarlyv formed device. By supporting the flange the sole is prevented frm 'being pressed out of place at its marginal portion and the flange is retained in its proper outstanding position, if it has already assumed that re` lation to the shoe, or if it is more or less curled 4up it can be bent back to its right position by the supporting means. 1f the adjacent surfaces of the flange and outersole are coated with cement they ofcourse stick together during the sole laying operation.

This is of great importance as it provides that the flange shall be in the right relation to the margin ofthe outersole when the shoe is presented to the solesewing machine.

The invention will be more fully explained in the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which is shown one form of apparatus by the aid of which the invention may be practised.

The apparatus 1s not herein claimed as it forms the vsubject-matter of'another application, Serial No. 428,123.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus that may be employed in practising this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan View, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the flange supporting devices and the sole supporting devices in position with relation to the shoe and sole respectively. Fig. 4 is a vertical section cn line 4 4- o'f Fig. 3 showing thejaws supporting the `flange and holding the shoe stock inwardly with relation to the last at the frontend of the heel v compressing it against the sole in the sole j laying operation.

Fig. 7 shows the .I

In the illustrated machine which maybe used. vin practising the invention a shoe having a last within it is supported between the clamps 2and 4 and against the abutment 5 which engages the last. These parts are car. ried adjustably by the head 6 which is movable relatively to the sole support 8, which has a yielding and fiexible pad 410 preferably of rubber for pressing the sole upon the shoe.

The clamp 2 comprises-the jaws 12 which are shaped t0 embrace the heel portion of the shoe. The edges ofthe jaws next to the shoe are tapered to enter the crease between the upper on the side of the shoe and the upper face of the sole attaching flange, and may be formed as shown to fit the crease approximately, presenting an, inseam engaging y inner edge and a flange supporting lower surface, and being of suitable length to act upon the sides of the heel portioncf the shoe at and adjacent to the front ends of the heel stiffener. The jajws are pivotally supported at 14 at the rear of the shoe and are in the direction to grip the shoe when it is inserted between them and the abutment 5 and to clamp the upper and stiflener to the normally pressedyieldingly by a spring. 15 y terasse sidtfa of the last to tighten the upper against or over the edge of the last by their engagement with the hottom of the crease. The iaws swing under the yoke 1G which is Icted to the head 6 and tornzs a rigid Yhanging abutment for the free end por- .-s lif the jaws. n clamp e comprises the jaws 2O which are ,relatively movable to adapt themselves to fue width ano shape of the orepart of the shoe, being guided in the plate 22 and held tiri-fard each other by springs 24. The jaws 29 are shaped at 'their inner edges similarly tf# the jaws l2 to lit into the iiange crease a ud present lower surfaces to rest upon the upper face of the ilange or welt, furnishing it a i'irm support against the pressure of the c in the sole laying operation. The jaws vl with the plate 22 are arranged for movementunder the abutment 25 by the lever 26 to force the jaws into the crease, seat them in position to straighten a curled up flange or welt and to hold it straight and outright during the sole attaching operation.

ln practising the invention with the aid of the described apparatus the shoe is inserted from below rearwardly into the clamp 2. The jaws may be opened for the purpose of receiving the shoe and when they are closed their shaped edges will enter the llange crease and exert pressure inwardly against the shoe stock to clamp the upper and heel stiliiener to the sides of the last and force the stock against or over the edge of the last, tightening the upper and holding it inposition to be secured, as shown for example in Figs. t and G. rlhe jaws l2 will preferably loe so constructed and arranged that they will press the upper at and adjacent to the front end of the heel seat inwardly with relation to the shoe stock in the shank, as indicated in Fig. 3. They can thus force into lasted position the shoe stock at and near the l'ront ends of the heel Stilfener and hold it during the compression to which the stock of the shoe bottom is suhjected during the sole laying operation. ln welt shoes the jaws engage at the edge ot' the shoe thc stock between the heel seat tacks and the ends ot the inseam and hold it while it is heing secured. 'lhis fastening ot :he upper is effected as herein shown, see

' Fig. 5, by attaching it to the sole while it is held. Cement is applied to one or both of the adjacent :faces 'of the llange and sole and these surfaces pressed together and held until the cement sots enough to hold the upper'and .heel stifener from slipping or springing outwardly from the position to which they have been pressed. The sole forms abinder extending across the shoe and connecting the flange at the two sides. The shoe stock might be secured in other ways, as for example, by taclis or stitches and ight be fastened at one side of the shoe at a time. After the shoe has been thrust into the clamp 2 the toe end is raised between the jaws of the clamp 4 and these jaws are caused by their springs 24e and the lever 2G to enter the flange crease, be- 70 tween the upper and the upper face of the liange or welt, insuring the correct relation ot the latter to the upper and tightening the upper snugly to'theedge of the last hy their inward pressure. When the head G and the sole support S are relatively actuated to torce the shoe 'and sole together the jaws 12 and 20 firmly support the welt against the pressure of the sole and the pad l0, preventing the sole from being heut up at the edges and preventing the welt from curling or yielding upwardly. The sole and the welt are lirmly clamped and are compressed between the jaws and the pad and this pressure on the welt reduces its tendency to curl up 35 when the shoe is released. Preferably, however, as before stated, the adjacent faces of the flange and sole are coated with cement and the pressure is maintained long enough to cause them to adhere securely. By bending or straightening out the curled up welt all about the toe portion of the shoe at the same time the outer edge ot the welt is stretched and the force applied during the sole laying operation compresses and tends to confirm more or less the strctched'condition of the welt. The permanence of this stretched condition is made certain by attaching the welt to the sole, as by means of 'the cement preferably employed. 10i

lt will be understood that my novel method is not limited to practice by means ot the apparatus shown and described herein as that apparatus is illustrated and its use explained merely for the purpose of showing one way in which the method may be practised. Theinvention is of course not limited to any apparatus and the performance of the succession of steps in which my improved l method consists is within my invention in whatsoever manner and by whatsoever means these steps may be performed.

Having explained the nature of this in. vention and fully described how it may be 11.5 practised, l claim as new and dcsireto secure hy Letters Patent ot' the United States l. That improvement in the art of making a shoe having a flange projecting outwardly from the upper at. the edge ot the shoe bottom, which comprises connecting a sole to the upper by fastening means extending along the forepart and shank and terminating at points remote from the rear end of the shoe and mounting the shoe on a last, engaging the shoe stock in the crease be# tween the side of the upper and the flangev at and near the rear of said fastening means and forcing the ystock inwardly to tighten it' over the last at the front end of the heel seat 13a 2. That improvement in the art of mak.

ing a shoe having a flange projecting outwardlygfroin the upper at the edge of the shoe bottom and a crease between said flange fand the side of the upper, which comprises connecting a sole to the upper by fastening means extending along the o'repart and shank and terminating at points remote from 'the rear 'end of the shoe, engaging the shoe stock insaid crease at or adjacent to the end ofthe heel stiilener and inwardly at the point o engagement relatively to the portion of the upper in advance of said point to conform the front ends of the heel stiliener to the last, and then securing the stock to maintain it in said conformed relation. j

3. That improvement in the art of' making Shoes which comprises assembling upon a last shoe materials comprising an upper and an innersole and connecting the upper to the innersole by a seam extending from a point at or near the front end of the heel seat on one side around the orepart to a similar point on the other side, then engaging the upper at or adjacent to an end of said seam and by lateral pressure directed inwardly tightening the upper at the point of engagement relatively to portions of the upper located forwardly of said point. to conform the a point at or near the front end'of the heel' materials to the last, and then'securing the upper ladjacent to saidpoint of engagement while the materials are held in said tightened condition. V

4. That improvement in the art of making shoesl whichl comprises assembling upon a. last shoe materials comprising an upper and an innersole and connecting the upper to the innersole by a sea-m extending from Iseat on one side around the forepart to a similar point on the other side, then engaging the shoe materials at or adjacentt to the ends of said seam on both sides of the shoe simultaneously and pressing the upper inwardly at the points of engagement rela` tively to portions of the upper located for; wardly of said points, and then securing the upper adjacent to said points of-engagemen before the pressure is released.

5.` That improvement in the art of making a shoe havingna flange projectingoutwardly from the edge of the upper-and a crease between the upper and the flange, which coinprises securing the upper at the foi'epart and shank to an innersole, while leaving a lrear portion of the uppeifuclatively loose, and mounting .the shoe on a last, engaging the shoe stock in said crease at opposite sides of the shoe rearwardly from pointsat or near the ends of the heel stiffener and pressing 'the stock inwardly to tighten the loose upf Dressing the upper nersole to the upper per against the sides of the last, and securing the upper adjacent .to said points of engage-y ment'whilejsaid pressure is maintained to conform the front ends of the heel stiiener snugly to the last.

6. hat improvement in the art ofmaking welt shoes which comprises connecting 'Y the upper at the forepart and shank to an innersole While leaving a rear portion of the t, upper relatively loose, engaging the shoe in the welt crease at or adjacent to saidloose portion of the upper at opposite sides. of the shoe and pressing the stock inwardlyY the upper before the pressure is released to over the last to tighten it, and'then securing vmaintain the rear portion f the upper and' the welt tightened over the last bottom.

7. That improvement in the art lof making I welt shoes which comprises connecting an inextending along the forepart and shank and terminating at points remote. from the rear end of the shoe, engaging the vshoe stock adj acent to the opposite/ends of the line ,of fasten-lA v ings and moving it relatively to portions of the upper located in advance of 'said points y a line of fastenings asf i in a direction inwardlyover the-last bottom l to tighten it at opposite'sideslof. the shoe simultaneously, and then securing the upper -A in said position to maintain it ti ht about the last at the front end of'thelhee seat.

' 8. That improvement in the'art of making a shoehavin a sole attaching flange projecting outwar y from the upperV at the shoe bottom, which comprises connecting the upper to an innersole along the shank and forepart by a line of fastenings termivnating near the heel breast and applying ycement to the connected materials on the marginal portion of the shoe bottom, press ing the stock against the sides and over the` ledges of the last bottom through engagement with `the opposite sides of the shoe in the flange crease and then, while Said pres# sure is maintained, pressing thecement coated surfaces includin the flange at opposite sides of the shan intoengagement with a connecting member to hold-the upper in lasted position.

' 9. That improvement in the art of mak-i ing a shoe having an outturned sole attaching flange which comprisesl embracing the shoe about the heel portion of the last and in the crease between the upper and said flange at and adjacent to the ends of thel heel stiilener, relatively moving the last and the embraced' heel portion of the upper lengthwise andtransversely of the shoe, to

tighten the upper about the last whileleav- 'ing portions of the upper in the shank freefrorn said tightening pressure and, While` said pressure is maintained, securing an ias v outersole to the iian'ge to-,hld .the'upper ini lasted position.

10 That improvement in" the art ofiak.

ing a shoe having an outturned sole attaching flange which comprises connecting an innersole to the upper by a line of fastenings extending along the forepart and shank and terminating at point-s remote from the rear end of the shoe, engaging the stock in the flange crease at or near the rear of said fastenings and pressiner the upper inwardly while supporting the gauge upon its upper side, temporarily attaching an outersole to the flange while the flange is thus supported and then releasing the flange and outersole from said engagement and pressure and sewing the outersole to said flange.

11. fhat improvement in the art of making a shoe having an outturned sole attaching flange which comprises connecting the upper along the forepart and shank to an innersole, applying a previously formed outersole to the shoe bottom with a coating of cement between adjacent portions of said outersole and flange, clamping the flange at the toe end tightly down upon the outersole by pressure applied to continuous portions of its upper face substantially throughout l the width of such face to straighten out any curled up portions of the flange, holding the flange and outersgle under pressure a sufficient time to permit the cement to set and maintain the flange in the straightened condition, and permanently sewing the outersole to the straightened tlange.

12. That improvement in the art of making a shoe having an outturned sole attaching flange, which comprises bending the curled up toe portion of the flange outwardly and downwardly and supporting it upon its upper side, relatively moving the shoe and a previously formed sole to bring the sole into position for attachment to said llange, pressing the sole and the flange t0- gether to flatten and stretch the outer edge portion ot the flange and, while maintaining the flattened stretched condition of the flange, temporarily securing the flange and the sole together under pressure andthcn releasing the pressure and permanently sewing the sole to the flange. l

13. That improvement in the art ot' making a shoe haring an outturned solo attaching flange which comprises subjecting the toe portion of the materials to lateral inward pressure applied in the crease between the upper and the flange while simultaneously supporting the. flange upon its upper side and, while maintaining said pressure and support, relativelyY moving the Ilange and a previously formed sole tov press the sole into position for attachment to the flange and temporarily securing the sole 'andv engaging and forcing the flange inwardlyy over the edge of the last bottom to tighten the upper over the last, bringing a sole into position'for attachment to the flange while the upper is held in said tightened convdition, subjecting the flange and the marginal portion ot' the sole to pressure n1 a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane otthe sole and performing a temporar)v sole attaching operation and then releasing the pressure and permanently sewing the sole to the flange.

l5. That improvement in the art of making a welt shoe which comprises straightening out the curled up portions of the Welt about the ililfcrent portions of the toe end ol the shoe at substantially the same time to stretch theI outer edge of the welt and supporting said portions of the welt around the toe substantially throughout its Width upon its upper side, pressing the welt while thus supported into engagement with a relatively inllexible member and attaching it to said member to hold it from recurling when the. pressure is released, and Athen releasing the pressure and permanently sewing the solo to the straightened welt.

1G. That improvement in the art of making a shoe having an outwardly projecting sole and upper connecting flange thereon, which comprises engaging the shoe stock in the crease between the upper and said flange and forcing the shoe stock inwardly at opposite sides of the shoe simultaneously to tighten lit at the front end ot the heel seat relatively to the upper in the shank, temporarily securing the upper while it is held under tension, releasing flange to a sole.

ln testimony whereof I have signed my naine to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

KARL ENGEL. Witnesses H. Donsnr Sramana, llnronnrcr; L. EnMoNDs.

the tension on the shoe stock, and then permanently sewing thev Corrections in Letters Patent No. t,142,55`6.

n It is .hereby eertied that in Letters Patent'o.r 1,142,556, granted June S, 1915,

uporrthe application of Karl Engel, of Revere, Messachsetts, for an improvement; x'

correction as fllowsz' Page 1,'.1ii1e 87, for the word feoect read coat; same page,

lines 97-9 8 ior the worrl sesurely'4 reed securely; and that the said Letters Patent should beFred ltvith these corrections therein tht the same may conform to the record of the ca'ee in the Patent Office. I l l v signed and sealed this` 8th day of February, A. D., 191.6.'

[Sme] R. F.1WH1TEHEAD, I

r. Acting 'ommz'setoner of Patents. C1. 12-145..

in @Methods of Makig '.Shoes, errors appear in the printed specification requiring" 

